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June, 2020

Hello, My Play Therapy Friends!                 


I am a play therapist. All of the work I do comes back to one purpose, and that is helping children overcome challenges and the effects of trauma. Throughout 2020, it seems that this is a never-ending experience, as we move from crisis after crisis around the globe. Natural disasters, famines, war, global pandemics, racism, police brutality…the list goes on and on and my heart at times feels like it is to its breaking point.  Connecting to and with our clients has also changed dramatically, as many clinicians are seeing their clients virtually instead of in the confines of the playroom and the security this offers to both the client and to the therapist.  

Trauma is everywhere. Treating trauma is something that each of us must do, even if you never thought of yourself as a “trauma specialist”.  If you are working with humans, you are working with and treating trauma. As I have worked with hundreds of families as a therapist, taught play therapy around the world, studied and taught at universities, there is a huge missing piece in work done for children recovering from trauma. Traditional treatment focuses on an individual child. Yet, it is impossible for a child to make lasting changes alone. One of the most important realizations I made is that the parents and caretakers of my child clients are my clients too.  Parents have to be an equal partner of the healing team. Rapport has to take place with kids but parents must be involved with treatment as soon as it's appropriate. The parent is as much as your client as the child.

Recognizing that there was a missing anthology of tools in the play therapy library, I wrote a book that bridges the gap between academic theory and practical tools to ultimately repair and work to heal the relationships between parents and children.  Secure attachment is the long term solution to pick up the broken pieces after a crisis occurs. For the mostly healthy parent, they can quickly become a resource for the child to learn healthy ways of communicating and connecting. Attachment fosters a sense of safety and security. For the parents who are the trailblazers and are changing the generational cycles of abuse or maltreatment, this book can offer you a roadmap to help guide them in learning new ways of engaging with their child, the importance of attunement, and managing their own affect and anxieties so they can help their child manage theirs.

My newest book Attachment Centered Play Therapy gives you the tools to do just that. My invitation is that as clinicians you come to understand parents, provide education to them, and invite them to be part of the treatment team and important members of the play therapy process. Let them know that they aren’t going to be in therapy for the rest of their lives, but that its okay for this process to take time. Learn how to take the shame out of the experience of healing. When we know more, we can do better. Every other week throughout the summer, I am offering a parents-only Q&A parenting session.  Please invite the parents you work with to attend, ask hard questions, and find the support they are looking for – in an online community that is cost-affordable and easily accessible!

I want to personally invite YOU to join me each week this summer, as I am offering a weekly Q&A session on all things play therapy related.  Each week is centered on a new topic that I have found to be a struggle for mental health clinicians who are working in the trenches of family life.  Due to the limited ability to offer in-person trainings for 2020, I felt that this was the best way to connect, collaborate, and offer training to play therapists around the globe.

Come join me.  Come join me in the fight to heal the human heart.  Come join me and heal your heart in the process.  And above all else, don’t forget to take care of your heart in the process.

Keep Playing!

Love, Clair

UPCOMING EVENTS!!

Consultation with other play therapists and clinicians is a POWERFUL way to continue your professional development, seek out support, and find your voice in your clinical practice.  My hope with this summer's weekly Q&A series is to discuss tough topics, offer practical, professional advice, and send you home with a few take-aways to begin implementing immediately with your clientele. Visit my website for details about upcoming events!
I am also thrilled to be partnering with PESI in offering an 18-hour APT approved online course with two of my favorite play therapists Tammi Van Hollander, LCSW, RPT-S and Dr. Jennifer Lefebre, PsyD, RPT-S!!
See Clair's Full Event Schedule

Books For Sale!

Review five different books written by Clair Mellenthin that teach clinicians and parents how to use play therapy to develop long-term attachment, how to address attachment disorders, and the tools available to support your practice.
Learn More!
Copyright © 2020 Clair Mellenthin LLC, All rights reserved.


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